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Fans can send Tribe players to All-Star Game

4/21/14: Jason Kipnis sends a two-run home run to right-center field, giving the Indians a 4-3 lead

By Jordan Bastian
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MLB.com |

It has been more than a decade since the Indians have had a player voted into an All-Star Game by the fans. Cleveland's supporters will attempt to end that streak this summer.

On Friday, the American League and National League All-Star ballots were unveiled, giving fans their first look into the nine candidates for each AL club and eight for each NL club. For the Indians, second baseman Jason Kipnis will be aiming for his second trip to the Midsummer Classic after being selected as a reserve last year.

The Indians have not had a player voted into the All-Star Game's starting lineup since Juan Gonzalez had his ticket punched by the fans in 2001.

Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or on a mobile device -- using the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot Sponsored by Experian until Thursday, July 3, at 11:59 p.m. ET. The 2014 All-Star Game will be played at Target Field on Tuesday, July 15.

Fans may submit up to 25 online ballots, but they can also earn a one-time bonus of 10 additional online ballots. To access these additional online ballots, fans must be logged into an MLB.com account when submitting any online ballot. If a fan does not have an MLB.com account, they can register on the site in accordance with the enrollment instructions for free.

Fans this year once again can participate in the Home Run Derby Fan Poll. Fans will have the opportunity to select three players in each league who they would most like to see participate in the Home Run Derby. The 2014 Home Run Derby will be broadcast live on ESPN, ESPN HD, ESPN Deportes and ESPN Radio in the United States beginning at 8 p.m. ET on July 14.

The 2014 American League and National League All-Star teams will be unveiled on the 2014 MLB All-Star Game Selection Show during the weekend of July 5-6, with further details to follow on MLB.com. Immediately following the announcement of the AL and NL All-Star rosters, fans can begin voting to select the final player for each league's 34-man roster via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Final Vote Sponsored by Experian. Fans will cast their votes from a list of five players from each league over the balloting period.

The voting doesn't end there. The final phase of All-Star Game voting will again have fans participating in the voting for the Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. During the Midsummer Classic, fans will vote exclusively online at MLB.com via the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com MVP Vote Sponsored by Pepsi, and their voice will represent 20 percent of the overall vote that determines the recipient of the Arch Ward Trophy.

The 85th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

Teams submit their ballots during Spring Training, meaning the Indians tabbed Santana -- their regular catcher for the past few years -- as the third baseman while he was still transitioning to the position. At the time that ballot was turned in by the Tribe, third baseman Lonnie Chisenhall (one of the team's hottest hitters this month) was not a lock to make the Opening Day roster.

That opened the door for the 43-year-old Giambi to be included as the DH, even though he began this season on the disabled list due to a rib injury. Giambi has since rejoined Cleveland's bench as a part-time DH and pinch-hitter. Last season, he became the oldest player in Major League history to launch a walk-off home run, doing so twice (July 29 and Sept. 24) against the White Sox.